Rarity and the Curious Case of Charity
My Little Pony: Rarity and the Curious Case of Charity by G. M. Berrow is the fifth book in a series of chapter books published by Little, Brown and Company and the fourth book in a series starring the main cast. The story involves Rarity and her new apprentice Charity Sweetmint, who idolizes her. Production The book includes a thick page containing an exclusive giant Enterplay trading card, a My Little Pony Friendship is Magic standee of Rarity. Summary Welcome to Ponyville At Carousel Boutique, Rarity waits impatiently for a response letter from the House of Outrageous and Opulent Fashion (H.O.O.F.) Summer Mentor Program, eager to know if she's been selected to take on an apprentice. She sends Sweetie Belle out to check if the letter's arrived—quickly joining her upon realizing Sweetie Belle's too short to reach the back of the mailbox—and finds only an invitation to Cloudy Quartz's birthday party. However, the mail pony suddenly appears with Rarity's sought-after letter; much to her delight, H.O.O.F. has assigned to her an apprentice named Sweetmint, who is to arrive in Ponyville the following day. The next day, Rarity's friends accompany her to the train station to greet Sweetmint. They reach the station just as the train arrives, and Rarity realizes she doesn't know what Sweetmint looks like. Spike's attention is drawn to a unicorn mare with a white coat, light green mane, and a cutie mark of three light-blue heart-shaped gems. Rarity and company greet the unicorn, who is indeed Sweetmint, and she immediately fawns over Rarity, being a big fan of her work. She introduces herself as Charity, insisting that "Sweetmint" is just a nickname. Pinkie Pie and Applejack note how similar Rarity and Charity's names sound, and Spike becomes instantly infatuated with Charity. Tea for Two Upon returning to the Boutique, Rarity and Charity get to know each other over tea. Charity showers her with compliments and adoration, and Rarity is pleased to know a pony she has so much in common with. During their conversation, Rarity picks up on some of Charity's odd behavior (like her insisting that she loves Bluedazzle berries despite not eating a single one off her plate), but she ignores it for now. The two begin planning their entry for the H.O.O.F. fashion competition, in which mentors and apprentices present fashion lines in the hope of having their designs displayed in a famous Manehattan department store and fashion magazine. Charity is unsure of their chances, but Rarity assures her they'll win. Charity takes Rarity's words to heart, especially when Rarity tells her, "Just do exactly as I do." Just Like Twins Over the next several days, Rarity's approach to mentoring mainly consists of giving Charity fashion tips. Ignoring the dresses she needed to finish for the Ponyville Choir, she helps Charity come up with a theme for her competition fashion line. Just then, Fluttershy enters to invite Rarity and Charity to a lakeside picnic where Charity can meet the Mane Six's pets. For the occasion, Charity chooses an ensemble nearly identical to Rarity's. At the picnic, Charity addresses Rarity's friends in a manner similar to Rarity's, mimicking her accent and refusing to take part in fun activities that Rarity also refuses. Her behavior arouses Twilight Sparkle's suspicions. Twilight tells Rarity that Charity is taking her admiration too far, but Rarity sees nothing amiss. Suddenly, as Golden Harvest passes by, Rarity briefly hides; she admits to her friends that she's supposed to deliver the Ponyville Choir dresses to her by the following week and has fallen behind on the order. Rarity despairs that she failed Charity as a mentor because of her "designer's block", but Charity gives her encouragement and offers to help with the dresses instead of her H.O.O.F. project—she also takes credit for a saying that Rarity came up with. Rarity now shares Twilight's suspicions about Charity, but she decides to focus on the dresses. The Ugly Truth Rarity and Charity work on the Ponyville Choir dresses together over the next few days. However, Rarity keeps in mind Twilight's warning and avoids staying too close to Charity. She sends Charity out one afternoon to run some errands. While out, Charity sees her frizzing mane in a window reflection and stops at the Ponyville Day Spa for a makeover—as well as a mane coloring. Back at the Boutique, Rarity finishes the last of the Ponyville Choir dresses. With several hours before the dresses need to be delivered, she decides to treat herself to a hooficure at the Day Spa. Later, Charity delivers the dresses to the concert for her. When Charity's purple-dyed mane and tail causes everyone to mistake her for Rarity, she decides to pose as Rarity for the time being. At the Boutique, Rarity discovers the choir dresses missing and alerts her friends. She goes to the concert hall to inform Golden Harvest of this development. There, she finds that the dresses have been delivered and that Charity is impersonating her. Rarity is outraged, but Charity says she was only trying to help. Rarity is mostly forgiving, but she is even more suspicious of Charity's actions. Purple and Green Rarity calls her friends together at the Castle of the Two Sisters to talk to them about Charity. The other ponies talk about their own interactions with Charity, and Rarity comes to realize that Charity is giving up things she enjoys (like swimming and apple-bucking) and claiming to love things she doesn't (like Bluedazzle berries) for the sake of being just like her. Rarity gets an idea of how to show Charity how great it is to be oneself. Back in Ponyville, Charity is out looking for gems with Spike, even addressing him as "Spikey-Wikey." As the two talk about Rarity, Rarity herself appears wearing a green wig and a dress that Charity designed. Charity quickly realizes what Rarity is doing and apologizes. Rarity apologizes to Charity as well for her subpar mentoring, and the two agree to start over... after Rarity makes it clear to Charity that only she can call Spike "Spikey-Wikey." Some time later, the Mane Six and Charity set up department store windows displays for Charity's winning H.O.O.F. competition entry: a fashion line inspired by the world of the seaponies. Quotes :Twilight Sparkle: This is so exciting, Rarity! Your very own student. I'd love to have a student of my own someday! :Rainbow Dash: Having an intern to boss around seems pretty cool. If I'' had a rookie Pegasus to do whatever I wanted her to, I'd make her do all the boring stuff for me so I could fly all day! :'Rarity': ''Apprentice, not intern. :Pinkie Pie: Wooooo, that's super-duper spooky-tastical. Your names are almost... the same name. :Applejack: Rarity and Charity. Well, what d'ya know? :Rarity: Bluedazzle berry tart? :Charity Sweetmint: Delish! I just love Bluedazzle berries. :Charity Sweetmint: You really think so? You think I have a shot to be an incredible, amazing, famous designer like you? :Rarity: Of course, darling. Just do exactly as I do. :Rarity: We're just getting started. It will all come together in the end, I promise. Remember—when the going gets tough, the tough get sewing! :Charity Sweetmint: That's cute! I like that. :Twilight Sparkle: I just worry that maybe Charity is taking her admiration for you a little too far. Look at her: She's being... you. :Rarity: I have no idea what you're talking about. She just looks like a classy, sophisticated pony. There is nothing wrong with that, Twilight. :Charity Sweetmint: It's like this saying I came up with: When the going gets tough, the tough get sewing! :All except Rarity: laughing :Pinkie Pie: Good one, Charity! :Applejack: You sure are clever, sugarcube. This is some apprentice you've got here! :Rarity: Yes, she certainly is.... :Aloe: Welcome to the Ponyville Day Spa. :Lotus Blossom: I'm Lotus Blossom. What can we do for you today? We have mud masks, hooficures, wing massages, Canterlot mane relaxers, and even more! :Charity Sweetmint: That all sounds amazing. Definitely something for my mane. :Aloe: How about a cut? :Lotus Blossom: Or a perm? :Charity Sweetmint: I have an even better idea! Tell me, do you ponies do mane coloring here? :Golden Harvest: Say, Rarity, something's different about you. I can't quite put my hoof on it. :Charity Sweetmint: Whatever do you mean, darling? :Rarity: Just WHAT do you think you're doing, missy?! Is this some sort of joke? Take off those wigs this instant! :Charity Sweetmint: They aren't wigs. I dyed my mane and tail at the Ponyville Day Spa. I thought you would think it looked fabulous. :Rarity: Well, I do, yes. It does. But only on me! :Twilight Sparkle: See, Rarity? This is what I was trying to tell you at the picnic. Charity has it all backward! She thinks that if she copies you, she'll become the type of pony she looks up to. :Rarity: This is the worst possible thing! :Charity Sweetmint: My adorable little Spikey-Wikey! You're such a big help with these gems. :Spike: Anything for you, Charity! :Charity Sweetmint: That's my dress! Why are you wearing that? I worked so hard on it! And your mane! You dyed it? But I thought that purple was in? :Rarity: I thought I'd try something new. What? You don't think it's fabulous? :Charity Sweetmint: Well, I do, but it's just that... that you are... It's like you're trying to look exactly like me! Or how I used to look... Before I started trying to be you. :Rarity: Don't worry. I can hardly blame you for coveting my style. But, Charity, darling, I would never dye my mane. :Rarity: Ahem. Darling? :Charity Sweetmint: Yes? :Rarity: Let's get one thing straight. That's my Spikey-Wikey. Capiche? :Charity Sweetmint: Rarity, I have a confession.... I absolutely detest Bluedazzle berries! :Rarity: I know, darling. I know. References